The present invention generally relates to media distribution and, more particularly, to systems and methods of providing customized media at a physical point of sale (PPOS) to a customer of a good or service.
Currently, if alone, a customer at a fast-food restaurant who has stopped for a quick meal will pass the time during the meal by people watching or reading whatever might be available at hand. Thus, for instance, a customer might read a newspaper that is provided by the restaurant as a courtesy for the customer's enjoyment or that was left behind by a previous customer. The customer also might find himself spending his time reading media preprinted on a bag, cup, or tray mat simply to pass the time. Alternatively, the customer might read preprinted nutritional information and the like made available by the restaurant. Had the customer planned ahead, he might have brought along with him something to read. This often is not the case, however, especially where the decision to stop at the fast-food restaurant was spontaneous. Furthermore, any information that might be read usually is not current to the minute, or even to the hour. Even newspapers are only as current as of the hours before their printing.
A need therefore exists for a system and method for providing media to a customer at a PPOS of a good or service at the time of the sale. A need further exists for a system and method for providing media to a customer at the PPOS at the time of the sale, wherein the media is customized for the customer, thereby insuring that the media will at least be of some interest to the customer. A yet further need exists for a system and method for providing media to a customer at the PPOS at the time of the sale, wherein the media is fairly current as of the time of the sale.
One or more of these needs are met by one or more of the systems and methods of the present invention.